Hair curler

ABSTRACT

A hollow cylindrical roller is combined with a hair holding clip of bent, rod-like construction. A rubber band connects the holder to the inside of the roller. While hair is rolled around the roller the holder is located within the roller; the holder can then be moved to a new position by stretching the rubber band and can be clipped over an edge of the roller for holding the rolled hair. A tube is freely mounted in the roller to hold the rubber band at least slightly stretched in all locations of the holder relative to the roller. Advantageously the holder has one finger approximately as long as the roller and an additional finger approximately half as long as the roller; the tube then also can be about half as long as the roller.

[ NOV. 4, 1975 3 236 246 2/1966 Culligan................................ 132/52 3,404,694 10/1968 Hammel 132/40 Jacqueline Giordano, 1, Avenue R m m mm V an no on.

Secretan, 1005 Lausanne, Switzerland June 10, 1974 Primary Examiner-G. E. McNeill Attorney, Agent, or FirmRobert E. Burns; Emmanuel J. Lobato; Bruce L. Adams [22] Filed:

[57] ABSTRACT A hollow cylindrical roller is combined with a hair [21] Appl. No.: 477,988

Related US. Application Data [63] Continuation-in-part of Ser. No. 326,604, Jan. 26,

holding clip of bent, rod-like construction. A rubber 1973, abandonedband connects the holder to the inside of the roller.

While hair is rolled around the roller the holder is 10- Foreign Application Priority Data cated within the roller; the holder can then be moved Feb. 4, 1972 Switzerland......................... 1686/72 o a new position by stretching the rubber band and can be clipped over an edge of the roller for holding the rolled hair. A tube is freely mounted in the roller [52] US. Cl. 132/40 A45d 2/00 to hold the rubber band at least slightly stretched in all locations of the holder relative to the roller. Advanta- [58] Field of Search 132/40, 50, 52, 42;

128/325; 24/259 HC geously the holder has one finger approximately as long as the rollerand an additional finger approximately half as long as the roller; the tube then also can be about half as long as the roller.

m am n T s m w 5 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures 3,200,824 8/1965 Coloccia...............................132/40 U.S. Patent Nov. 4, 1975 Sheet 1 of 2 3,916,919

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FIG-3 Him U.S. Patent Nov. 4, 1975 Sheet 2 of2 3,916,919

HAIR CURLER CROSS-REFERENCE TO PRIOR APPLICATIONS This application is a Continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 326,604 now abandoned filed on Jan. 26,

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The invention relates to hair curling devices.

Conventionally, loose bobby pins or clips are used for gripping a roller and the hair rolled about it, to hold the roller on the users head during setting. This leads to the difficulty that the hairdresser must reach for such a loose pin or clip, when he has rolled a strand of hair about the roller, and before he can attach the pin or clip. In the process of reaching for a loose pin or clip, he often loses proper control over the rolled-up strand of hair.

, Attempts have therefore been made to provide rollers and clips in assembled relationship to have a clip readily available for attachment when the roll of hair has been formed on the roller. However, difficulties have been encountered. The devices were complex and expensive. Moreover they were subject to rapid wear and tear, whereby their use became even more expensive. At the same time their use was objectionable since they made deep impressions in the strands of hair to be curled, leaving undesirable permanent marks on these strands.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An aim of the invention is to provide a new combination of a hair roller and clip which overcomes the difficulties of the earlier devices. A particular object isto provide such a combination wherein the clip is attached to the roller by elastic means whereby the clip can be moved between a first position within the roller, for the purposes of storage and for rolling hair about the roller, and a second position in which the clip coopcrates with the roller to hold rolled hair onand about the roller. I 1

-The invention provides a hair roller with a hair clip which comprises a pair of rod-like fingers, one for holdinghair on the roller and another for holding said one fingeron the hair and thereby on the roller, and a rodlike hook on said other finger for attaching an elastically expansible band to the hook and thereby attaching the clip to the roller.

Preferably the two fingers and the hook areintegral with each other and are made of rod-like material of approximately uniform cross-sections.

It is-particularly preferred to make the clip as a unit, wherein the two fingers are elastically interconnected by a curved section of said rod-like material; said hook constitutes another curved section of said rod-like material; and said one finger, held on the hair, is substantially as long as the roller whereas the other finger, with the hook thereon, is shorter than the roller. The elastic band preferably extends from the hook through a rigid tube, loosely inserted in the roller, to support means at one end of the roller.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Preferred embodiments of the invention will now be particularly described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

, FIG. 1 is an axial cross-section through a first embodiment of a hair roller and hair clip assembly according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective bottom and side view of the roller shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a partial elevational view of the roller shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 1 showing the clip in another position;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view partly broken away of a second embodiment of a hair roller and hair clip assembly according to the invention; and

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary perspective bottom and side view of a third embodiment of the invention.

With reference to FIGS. 1 to 4, the assembly shown comprises a roller 1, elastic means including two endless rubber bands 2 and.2, an elongated member in the form of a tube 3, and a hair clip 4. The clip includes a pair of resilient fingers, approximately as long as the roller 1, said fingers extending from a body which includes a lateral projection or hook 9.

Roller 1 has an open-ended cylindrical wall with perforations l1 and a support member in the form of a transverse strut 5 disposed at one end thereof. Strut 5 has a central orifice 6 and a restricted opening 7 which extends from a lateral edge of the strut to the central orifice.

The two rubber bands 2 and 2 are joined together by a knot 8 forming a thickened part. One band 2 passes through orifice 6 with the knot 8 against the outer face of strut 5 adjacent the orifice 6. The" knot 8 is large enough to prevent it from passing through the orifice 6, even when the band 2 is under tension.

Tube 3, which is here shown as having approximately the same length as roller 1, is mounted within the roller with one end abutting against the orifice 6 of strut 5 and a free end facing in the same direction as the open end of roller 1. The band 2 passes through the bore of tube 3 and around the hook 9 of clip 4 and isshort enough to be stretched when pulling the hook 9 against the free end of tube 3. The clip 4 isrthus held in one of two positions, that shown in FIG. 1 in which the clip 4 is disposed within the cylindrical wallof tube 1, and that of FIG. 4 in which the clip 4 rides on the edge of the open end of roller 1 with one-finger located outside said cylindrical wall and the other finger inside. For the sake of convenience, thesepositions will henceforth be referred to as the 'rest and holding positions respectively. I 7

Movement of theclip 4-from. the rest position and to the holding position is achieved by gripping and pulling the clip to elastically extend band 2 and fully withdraw the clip from within the roller 1. The open end of the clip 4 is then placed over the wall of roller 1 which then has hair-rolled onto it, and the clip 4 is allowed to move into its holding position by elastic contraction of band In the embodiment of FIG. 4 the free end of roller 1 is provided with means for removably engaging with the second rubber band 2', these means being in the form of a crenelled edge 10 provided by cutting said end of the roller through a diametric line of perforations 11. The band 2' extends from central orifice 6 along the outside of roller 1, and is engaged in recesses formed by crenelled edge 10. In order to assemble the roller 1 and clip 4, the knotted band 2 is threaded through the bore of tube 3, with band 2 projecting from one end and band 2 from the other end. With the tube 3 disposed within roller 1 as shown in FIG. 1, the band 2 is then passed about hook 9 of clip 4. Band 2 can then be pulled and engaged for stretching both bands 2, 2'. The stretched band 2 is then passed through opening 7 into orifice 6. Finally the band 2' is released to allow the knot 8 to come to bear against the outer face of the strut adjacent to orifice 6. The band 2' can then be used as a loop for suspending the assembly of roller 1, clip 4, tube 3 and band 2 or as a preliminary holder.

Alternatively, a single endless band 2 can be used instead of two bands 2, 2'.

In use, to set hair for curling, with the roller of FIGS. 1 and 4., the end of several strands of hair is applied against the outer cylindrical wall of a roller 1 with the clip 4 in the rest position. The roller 1 is then attached to the hair by passing the band 2 over the hair and engaging this band 2' with recesses of edge 10. The roller 1 is then rolled to wind the hair to form a roll thereabout. The clip 4 is then withdrawn, and replaced in the holding position (see FIG. 4) with the roll of hair held by the outer finger of clip 4, against the outer surface of the wall of roller 1. When the setting operation is finished, the roller assembly is easily removed by removing the clip 4, replacing it in the rest position, unwinding the roll of hair, and disengaging band 2 from edge 10.

The modified embodiment shown in FIG. 5 includes a roller 21, elastic band 22, freely mounted tube 23 and hair holding clip 24. These parts are shown in full lines as they are positioned when the holder is in hair holding position. There also shown in broken lines, at 22a, 23a, 24a as the parts are being moved to rest position; finally they are shown at 23b, 24b in rest position.

In the embodiment of FIG. 5 clip 24 comprises a first finger 31 approximately as long as roller 21; a second finger 32 of lesser length and advantageously, as shown, about half as long as the first finger; and a hook 33 at the free end of the second finger, for engagement with rubber band 22. Both fingers, as well as the hook, are of rod-like construction and are advantageously made as an integral part, with the two fingers interconnected by a bent portion 34 of the clip and with the two fingers and hook lying in a single plane. Resilient plastic material is advantageously used for forming this new clip, whereby hair, between roller 21 and the long finger 31, is held to the roller by resilient action, derived mainly from bent portion 34.

In the holding position of clip 24, shown in full lines in FIG. 5, rubber band 22 is stretched, in tube 23, this band extending from a knot 28 on the outside of strut 25 (as described above with respect to knot 8 and strut 5), on the one hand and hook 33 on the other hand. This arrangement, coacting with the above-mentioned shape of clip 24, has the effect that outer finger 31 is kept substantially parallel to the axis of roller 21, as is desirable in the operation of the unit. Formerly, difficulties were encountered in this respect. The new construction, by contrast, allows proper positioning of finger 31, parallel to the axis of roller 21, and allows this positioning without undesirable effect on the hair curling process, such as the use of excessive clamping force between the outer and inner fingers 31, 32.

In order to transfer the clip 24 it is raised to position 24a, extending the rubber band to position 22a, wherein tube 23 is raised from strut 25 into position 23a, as portions of the band are elastically pulled from both ends of the tube. Thereafter the clip is simply released to find any position 24b in the roller, as the rubber band returns to its former condition wherein it is only slightly stretched.

Proper positioning of clip 24, in holding position shown in full lines, can be further promoted by forming ribs 26 slightly inwardly projecting from the wall of roller 21 and spaced sufficiently to accommodate inner finger 32 between any two parallel ribs. It will be understood that many modifications are possible in this respect and also with regard to the proper.placement of ventilation holes 27 between ribs 26.

The modified form of roller 1 shown in FIG. 6 includes a plurality of longitudinal channels 15 formed on the inner face of the roller. These channels are shown in FIG. 6 as being formed between inwardly projecting ribs of prismatic form with triangular crosssection, as one of the possible modifications of ribs 26 in FIG. 5. The channels 15 again serve to hold the hair holding clip (not shown here) in a position parallel to the axis of the roller. Opposite its open end (not shown) the roller 1 includes a transverse strut 5' with an orifice 16 including a protuberance 17 facing a restricted opening of the orifice through a lateral edge of the strut 5, this protuberance 17 serving to secure a rubber band. This roller 1' can be assembled with clips such as 4 (FIG. 1) or 24 (FIG. 5) as previously described.

In other variations, not shown, the freely mounted elongated member 3 instead of being a tube, can be formed by a rod including eyelets at its ends for constraining an elastic band to extend therealong. The clip 4 can also be provided with a hole or other means for firmly securing it to the band. The support-forming strut 5 instead of having an orifice, can have other means, such as a hook, for securing a band.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letter Patent:

1. A hair curler comprising a hollow cylindrical roller; a support member located in said roller remote from an open end of the roller; an elastically extensible band held by said support member; a clip having interconnected first and second rod-like fingers, said first finger being substantially as long as said roller, said second finger having a rod-like hook member at a free end thereof, elastically held by said band to said support in said roller; and means for elastically spacing said clip, attached by said band and hook, from said support member, comprising an elongate member loosely mounted on said support member and extending toward said hook; said fingers and hook being integral parts of said clip.

2. A curler according to claim 1, in which the roller has a plurality of longitudinal channels on its inner face for holding said second finger of the clip longitudinally of the roller when the clip straddles the wall.

3. A hair curler according to claim 1, wherein said second finger of the hair clip is approximately half as long as said first finger and said elongated member is approximately as long as the difference in length between said first and second fingers.

4. A hair curler according to claim 1, wherein said elongated member is a tubular member through which said elastically extensible band extends, said tubular member being attached to said clip and to said support member solely by said band.

5. A hair curler according to claim 1, wherein said support member comprises a transverse strut extending diametrically of said hollow cylindrical roller and provided at its middle with means for attaching said elasti- 

1. A hair curler comprising a hollow cylindrical roller; a support member located in said roller remote from an open end of the roller; an elastically extensible band held by said support member; a clip having interconnected first and second rod-like fingers, said first finger being substantially as long as said roller, said second finger having a rod-like hook member at a free end thereof, elastically held by said band to said support in said roller; and means for elastically spacing said clip, attached by said band and hook, from said support member, comprising an elongate member loosely mounted on said support member and extending toward said hook; said fingers and hook being integral parts of said clip.
 2. A curler according to claim 1, in which the roller has a plurality of longitudinal channels on its inner face for holding said second finger of the clip longitudinally of the roller when the clip straddles the wall.
 3. A hair curler according to claim 1, wherein said second finger of the hair clip is approximately half as long as said first finger and said elongated member is approximately as long as the difference in length between said first and second fingers.
 4. A hair curler according to claim 1, wherein said elongated member is a tubular member through which said elastically extensible band extends, said tubular member being attached to said clip and to said support member solely by said band.
 5. A hair curler according to claim 1, wherein said support member comprises a transverse strut extending diametrically of said hollow cylindrical roller and provided at its middle with means for attaching said elastically extensible band to said strut. 